Forty Four Weeks

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello little man!  Today you are forty four weeks old!  You're getting pretty old little fellow!  You'll be the big 1 pretty soon!  ;-)

Guess what today is .... another Family Friday!  Woo hoo!  That means daddy had off from work and we all got to spend the day together as a family.  :-)

Our family day didn't have the greatest start though .... you didn't sleep well at all last night.  Daddy and I were up at all hours with your poor, little congested self.  You woke up coughing and sneezing and not able to breathe very well.  You didn't cry, but you couldn't sleep and weren't feeling well.  We took you out of your bed and rocked you.  We held you in different positions to see if you would be able to sleep better one way more than another.  You felt warm to me, so I took your temperature around 3:30am.  You didn't have a fever, but daddy and I still stayed up with you.  

The rest of the day, we were all pretty tired and just tried to relax.  I had another doctor's appointment this morning at 8am, so I got up earlier than you and daddy to get ready.  I thought you and daddy would want to stay and rest, but you two eventually woke up and went with me to the doctor.  

Remember four weeks ago when I went to the doctor (you and daddy stayed at the house) and that evening we made chocolate chip cookies?  Well,  the cookies were made as a celebration.  You see little precious, there will soon be another little miracle from God in our house .... and you will be a big brother!  

Yes little man, mommy is pregnant, and today I am 13 weeks and 2 days along.  :-)  At our next appointment (September 20th), we'll see if you'll be blessed with a little brother or little sister.  Daddy and I don't mind either way .... we're just praying for continued health over "peanut" (what we're calling baby #2 for now).  Peanut has a strong heartbeat (165).  The doctors are watching me closer this time, but there's still a chance I could develop pre-eclampsia with HELLP (like what happened with you).  So, daddy and I are preparing for another potential sweet preemie, like yourself, but we're praying peanut makes it a little longer in my belly, ideally full term!  Peanut is due late February, so keep praying with daddy and I!  :-)

After my appointment .... by the way, you ended up staying in the waiting room with daddy drinking a bottle and then clapping at the other patients as they walked through the door! .... we went out for a brunch.  We had an appointment to see Frank again (our lawyer friend that daddy and I went to school with).  He's helping us with estate planning so you and peanut will be taken care of if something were to happen to us.  So, we headed over there, signed the forms, and now it's official .... one day, when daddy and I are gone .... this vast kingdom of ours will be yours and peanut's (and possibly any other little miracles that come along).  ;-)  By the way, we don't have much!  Ha!  :-)

Afterward, we came back home and we all took a nap (I slept longer than you and daddy .... daddy ended up playing with you, feeding you bananas, and playing the banjo for you as I rested).  

You were still congested this afternoon, so I took your temperature again around 6pm.  You still have no fever, but I gave you a small dropper of tylenol.  Then, daddy and I gave you a nice bath so you would feel better.  

We relaxed all evening and watched a little concert DVD as you ate oatmeal for dinner and eventually fell asleep.  I hope you sleep better tonight and feel better tomorrow.  Everyday daddy and I pray for your health and peanut's health.  

Sleep tight little fellow!

I love you very much!  :-)

~Mommy